The Ghost of Capricorn's Isle
by PhantasyPhan13
Summary: Prequel to Soldier's Heart. Temporarily on hold. When Handy falls into a river daydreaming of Marina and awakens on a desert island, he gets more than he bargained for-the resident nymphs and dryads of the island believe he's a destined hero with an ability called Greeneyes! But Handy's just a normal inventor..or is he? Will Handy and quirky robot squirrel NutBot save them?
1. Chapter 1: The Arrival

The Ghost of Capricorn's Isle

Chapter 1: The Arrival

_Handy Smurf stared into the murky depths of the river as he waited for the one person he loved above all others to arrive. She had promised him that she would come to him on this day, as she had finally found a way that they could be together at last. Handy couldn't wait to see her once again; he was overjoyed that he would finally be able to reunite with the love of his life. Time seemed to crawl by as the minutes faded away, as though the world was determined to make Handy's wait as long and torturous as possible._

_Finally, a beautiful jade-colored tail broke the waters, and crystal-clear laughter rang out like a bell before a young mermaid's head popped up from under the blue waters. She shook out her long amethyst hair, causing white sprays of water to cascade and twist around in the air like sparkling rays of sunlight reflecting off a diamond. "Marina, stop that; I don't have any towels here and I'm certainly NOT going to shake myself off like a dog!" laughed Handy as he wiped water from his face, smiling back at the beaming sea maiden floating before him._

"_Sorry about that; I keep forgetting that you're not waterproof like I am," she apologized in her shy little voice, which sounded like a young bird's chirp._

_"It's okay; I'm just glad to be here with you. So…what was that thing you found that you said could bring us back together? It's been so heartbreaking to have to live without you, you know…" Handy trailed off as he took Marina's delicate hands in his. He held his breath as Marina seemed to hesitate in her announcement. He had been thinking a lot about her lately, and it seemed unbelievable that she'd found a way to make things work out the way that they should._

_Finally, Marina took a deep breath and began to tell Handy the news that he had waited for since he had met her. "Well, I found out about this spell from my father that could let you grow gills when you're in the water and…" But before she could finish her sentence, a ferocious sea monster rose from the depths of the river and roared; shaking its tail and smashing the water like a glass window. _

_"MARINA! SWIM FOR YOUR LIFE! THERE'S A SEA SERPENT BEHIND YOU!" screamed Handy in alarm as the sea beast wrapped his tail around Marina and squeezed her like a lemon._

"_HANDY! HELP ME! HELP ME!" Marina yelled back as she helplessly thrashed in the serpent's iron grip. However, Handy was paralyzed and there was nothing he could do as the sea serpent squeezed the life out of Marin. He pulled her towards his gaping maw, as if she were nothing more than a tasty morsel of crab…._

A small nudge on the back brought Handy back from his nightmarish reverie, leaving him panting and sweaty as he tried to recover his composure. "Thanks, NutBot; things were getting really intense there," gasped Handy as he blinked hard and stared desperately at the rushing river water in front of him. To his relief, he saw nothing but his own reflection in the waters, but he couldn't help being just a tiny bit disappointed that Marina was only a figment of his imagination-at least for the moment.

He had fallen in love with the gorgeous young mermaid when she had floated unconscious into the river when her father had fallen ill with food poisoning. She had tried to jump up a waterfall to the Pool of Avalon, where she could find the cure for her father. After the Smurfs had put her into a bathtub and restored her to consciousness, she told them about the quest and her father's sickness. Handy had found himself helplessly falling in love with her, and he wanted nothing more than to help this lovely creature who was prettier than anyone he had ever known. With his help, the Smurfs had successfully retrieved the cure and saved Marina's ailing father.

After that, Handy had tried everything in his power to get together with her, but no matter how hard he tried, all his attempts had failed miserably and he was left with only a strong desire and a broken heart. He and Marina had always promised each other that they'd get together again when they found a way to unite, but it seemed like Fate was determined to keep the two young lovers forever separated from each other.

Another nudge in the back reminded Handy that he should be leaving and getting back to work as soon as possible. He sighed and turned around to find NutBot, his pet robotic squirrel, staring anxiously at him with his blank white eyes. "I'm sorry, NutBot; I'm just having a moment here…I promise I'll give you your afternoon snack and then I'll go fix those windows that Clumsy broke. I just need a minute or two to put myself back straight, OK?"

"Ok, Master; as you wish," sighed NutBot in his high-pitched mechanical voice; plunking himself down on the riverbank next to Handy and staring impatiently at his owner as he sighed and stared into the waters once more.

After a few minutes had passed, Handy reluctantly got to his feet and started to follow the course of the river; sighing as he stared behind him and feeling a wave of utter hopelessness crash over him. NutBot eagerly scampered along behind him, squeaking and making all sorts of noises as he licked his lips hungrily. There was nothing he liked better than a few nuts and bolts in the afternoon, preferably with just a tinge of rust and a dash of salt.

However, just as Handy was about to turn away from the river and take the path back to the village, he absentmindedly rested his foot on a dangerously slippery stone. He tried to keep his balance, but instead he fell headfirst into the river and was swept away by the raging rapids. "HEEEEEELLLP! SOMEBODY, HELP ME! I C-CAN'T SWIM! I'LL D-DROWN!" screeched Handy in a panic, thrashing helplessly as he struggled to keep his head above the waters. Icy cold liquid rushed into his ears and nose; clogging his windpipe and making his sinuses burn.

_It can't be that hard to swim in water like this; what is it that Hefty always does when he's at the beach? The backstroke? But how am I supposed to get on my back when these waters are so strong that they could take out a full-grown ox? Oh, I'll never make it out… _Handy thought in a panic as he tried to roll onto his back and push the water behind his head away from him. He barely managed to do one stroke before the river pulled him under and pressed down on him with a tremendous force before cruelly tossing him back to the surface again. He coughed out water and again tried to paddle to safety, but the waters were just too strong for him. It was like trying to fight with a grizzly bear; a cold grizzly bear with fur like ice that had a murderous desire to suffocate you between its paws.

Handy was beginning to think that things couldn't get any worse when suddenly, the river's current became stronger and he heard a rushing sound ahead of him. He tried to turn his head and barely managed to get a glimpse of a thundering waterfall that was surrounded by thousands of knife-sharp rocks. "Oh NO….I'll never make it out….." gulped Handy, desperately paddling away from the waterfall but failing once more. "It's too bad Hefty isn't here; he could get me out for sure….oh, how did I get into a mess like THIS just by walking home? I'm starting to think I'm worse than Clumsy now…"

There was no time to waste pitying himself; Handy had to escape before he fell down the waterfall and broke every bone in his body. With determination, he cut through the water, careful to avoid the rocks and whirlpools. Every second was precious, and even half a minute could make the difference between survival or destruction. After about half an hour had passed, he seemed to be getting closer to the banks, and the water was almost shallow enough for him to stand. "Almost there…I think I can just about make it now," mumbled Handy to himself as he took a final stroke and placed his foot on the sand below. "I almost did it…just a few more steps and I'm home safe…"

Just as he was about to put a foot on dry land, the sand seemed to sink beneath him, and he realized to his horror that he had discovered a treacherous sandbar. Once again he found himself being swept towards the dangerous falls, and judging by the distance between him and the waterfall, it would only be a few more seconds until he fell to his death. Tears of fear and frustration filled his eyes as he was tugged ever closer to the edge and certain disaster.

A single current knocked Handy under the surface, and he felt a horrible falling sensation in the pit of his stomach as he fell head over heels through the air, flailing and screaming in horror. The water below rushed ever closer to him like a dream turning into harsh reality. He closed his eyes and gulped, hoping with all his might that NutBot would be okay if he died and that he wouldn't throw himself over the edge as well. NutBot had a tendency to be very dramatic, and he had been loyal to Handy ever since he was created.

Just when Handy thought that he would smash into the water below and die a terrible early death, he felt sharp teeth clamp onto his overall strap and he found himself hanging freely a few hundred feet from the pond below. Gasping for breath, he coughed water out of his lungs and tried to twist around to see who had saved his life.

Behind him stood a valiant NutBot, clamping a jutting rock with his hind paws and clinging to Handy's strap as if his life depended on it. As soon as his eyes met with his master's, he gave a sheepish grin and flicked his tail, as though he were embarrassed about the interference. "Sorry, Master; I was worried you might drown and forget to give me my snack," he said, lowering his head and pretending to be preoccupied with picking a piece of rock from his claws.

"Snack! NutBot, I was DROWNING; you should've been thinking of more than a measly little SNACK!" teased Handy, patting NutBot's head gratefully and trying to figure out how he was going to get back to land without falling and breaking his neck.

"I know, I know; but still…I'm hungry!" NutBot said, his eyes glazing over and getting that strange gleam that they always got when he went into his 'hyper mode'.

"Uh oh…..errrrmmm, NutBot, can you put me down? You're getting that weird look again….you know…" trailed off Handy, crossing his fingers that NutBot wouldn't think he was telling him to drop his master.

"OK! Sure! Then you can feed me!" squeaked NutBot eagerly, and just as Handy had feared, he let go of his overalls and sent him once more tumbling through the air towards certain death.

"NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTT! WHEN I SAID DROP MEEE, I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAAAAT!" screamed Handy as he plunged towards a particularly large stone that was easily the size of a small island. He tried to position himself so that he would fall into the water instead, but it was no use. Within seconds, he felt his body slap against the rock and a sharp pain shot through him. He yelped in pain, and then everything seemed to fall away as his body went limp and his vision went black.

"MASTER! MASTER! ARE YOU OKAY?!" screamed NutBot, completely beside himself as he flung himself through the air and launched himself at Handy's body, which had been washed off the rock and was being carried swiftly down the river. However, he misjudged his leap and hit his head on the rock too. His vision blacked out, and soon his unconscious body was being swept along the same path as Handy. The two companions were washed down the river and into a current that lead towards a vast and uncaring ocean that would surely impose many dangers upon them…..

…..

A tropical sun beat fiercely down upon the crystal sands as Handy lay on his back on the beach, staring up at the sky. A gentle breeze was caressing his face, and puffy clouds lazily drifted across the sky as if they were in no hurry to get anywhere. The sand under his back was warm, and the sky was the clearest blue he had ever seen. Handy was glad that he wasn't in the water anymore. He could've laid on this beach forever; it was so relaxing and peaceful. As time went on, the sun shone brighter and rose higher in the afternoon sky, and Handy began to feel tired. _I guess it couldn't hurt if I closed my eyes a bit. After all, what could possibly hurt me here in this little paradise? _Handy thought to himself as he closed his eyes and sighed contentedly.

It felt like he had only slept for five minutes when suddenly, he felt a mysterious hand on his shoulder and a mystical voice saying, "Wake up, brave hero, and let me introduce you to our woes." "H-huh? Who said t-that? W-where am I?" Handy stammered, sitting bolt upright and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"You do not need to know, Oh Great One; just follow me and you'll see," hummed the voice, and a grainy green mist swirled somewhere to his right.

"But…what do you mean? I'm no hero; I'm just a handyman! Besides, I don't even LIKE magic…" Handy trailed off as he slowly got to his feet and stretched, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

The voice only laughed mirthfully, and the mist appeared a little farther up the beach. "Follow me, great hero, and see what you must do to save our lives," sang the voice, and Handy suddenly felt compelled to follow the mist. As he trudged through the sand, he realized that the island he was on wasn't just a beach paradise; it was a steamy jungle with mysterious secrets that nobody should know and could threaten the lives of even the strongest of the strong. He shivered in fear and wondered why the voice was calling him a hero; he'd never done anything supernatural in his life and always viewed magic as a bunch of mumbo-jumbo that brought trouble upon his village and never did anyone good.

After a while, the mist stopped in front of an abandoned coal mine that moaned eerily in the wind and seemed to be surrounded in a sort of unnatural aura. "This is the site of your quest, young hero. For over a thousand years, the inhabitants of this isle have been haunted by the ghost of Capricorn; he who discovered this island and has never slept since."

"Ghosts?! But ghosts aren't REAL! And what do you mean, he hasn't slept since?" scoffed Handy, rolling his eyes and thinking that it was rather ridiculous that his quest, whatever that was, had to do with appeasing the needs of a deceased person. He'd always thought ghosts were made-up stories told to little Smurflings to keep them from going too deep into the forest and to respect the dead. Besides, how could somebody's spirit be alive after they'd been dead and buried? It just wasn't possible, in his point of view.

Suddenly, a loud wail echoed throughout the island and shook the trees, causing coconuts and rocks to fall onto the ground. A glowing white figure flitted in the mine and screamed when he saw Handy and the mist. He rattled some chains wrapped around his hand, and suddenly, a boulder fell off a nearby cliff and started rolling towards Handy.

"You see, young hero, that Capricorn has been unsatisfied ever since he fell to his death in the mine long ago. He has been taking out his vengeance ever since on the islanders and brought much misfortune upon them. No other hero besides you could do this task. If you don't, then…" A rock rolled through the middle of the mist, causing it to break apart into wisps and disappear.

"If I don't what? What if I don't do the quest? Why me? And what sort of bad luck ARE these islanders having?" shouted Handy as he ducked underneath a palm tree and covered his head with his arms. He had a bad feeling about this whole quest, and he also had the feeling that there would be some sort of apocalypse if he didn't complete it. Not that he believed in apocalypses, anyway. Or ghosts, for that matter. He tried to convince himself that everything would be all right if he slipped up in this quest, but something told him it was the most important thing for him to do at this point in his life.

Before he could muse any more about the quest, the rock struck him in the back, and he heard loud, raucous laughter from Capricorn just before he slipped into blackness.

…..

"What on Earth IS this thing? It looks like a dead imp!" snorted the lanky dryad as he roughly poked Handy's body with his spear.

"I have no idea, Aries…but what about this metal thing here? It looks like it might be dangerous…" faltered the slim nymph next to him as she tentatively touched NutBot with the tip of her toe. He stirred a little bit and mumbled something incomprehensible in his sleep before he rolled over and snored again. "AAAAAAHHH! IT'S ALLIIIIVEEE! Kill it, kill it; it's terrifying!" screamed the nymph melodramatically as she leaped into the dryad's arms and clung to his neck for dear life.

"Calm DOWN, Gemini; it can't be THAT dangerous. It's probably a golem or some such, and you know you're pretty enough to charm even the wildest dragon," winked the dryad as he set the shaking nymph on the ground and kicked NutBot again. He didn't stir, and the nymph hesitantly got to her feet, careful to keep a good distance away from the lifeless metal squirrel.

"I-I guess you're right, Aries. But what should we do about the young man? He might be that hero, you know…" said the nymph, tapping her foot on the ground and staring dreamily into space.

""Young man'?! Gemini, you're not in LOVE, are you?! Besides, it says in the legend that the hero has to have green eyes, and we can't tell if he's a Greeneyes or not because he's got his eyes shut," snorted the dryad, bored with the conversation and eager to get rid of these strangers that could possibly spell trouble for the inhabitants of the island.

"N-no…of course I'm not! I'll never be in love! I mean, he's not ugly or anything; I'm just excited because then Capricorn will be gone and we can finally live in peace again after all these years," stammered the nymph, quickly snapping out of her daydream and picking up her spear, which had fallen on the sand when she'd jumped into the dryad's arms.

"Yes, I understand that; all I want to know is whether we should boot them off or heal them. I don't like the looks of that squirrel there…I've got a funny feeling about him…" trailed off the dryad as he stared at the strange figures lying prone on the sand.

"Well, maybe we should heal him; he might be the Greeneyes from the legend, and we won't be able to tell if he's the one or not until he opens his eyes. Besides, if he ISN'T and he brings trouble, then we have THESE…" grinned the nymph devilishly, raising her spear and turning it so that its razor-sharp tip sparkled in the sunlight.

"Guess you're right. I'll check. Hang on," grunted the dryad as he knelt down in the sand next to the still Smurf. Without any hesitation, he gently took a hold of Handy's eyelid and slowly opened it until he was gazing into Handy's blank eye.

"EEEEEEWWWWW! Aries, that's gross! I can't believe you…I can't look!" groaned the nymph, covering her eyes and turning her head away from the unsettling sight. However, the dryad took no notice of the nymph's discomfort and continued to stare into the inventor's eye for a few moments until he nodded and let go of Handy's eyelid.

"So…IS he the Greeneyes or not? If he's not…" trailed off the nymph, slowly turning around and uncovering her eyes.

"Well….I think so. His eyes are kind of green, but not as green as I expected...they're the color of old palm leaves that have fallen to the ground but haven't turned brown yet, if you get what I mean. You can see for yourself when he wakes up," shrugged the dryad, sighing in resignation and impatiently waiting for the nymph's verdict.

A look of wonder dawned on the nymph's face as she stared at the unconscious Handy with growing awe. "That's…incredible…I can't believe a Smurf like HIM would be our hero…."

"Yes, yes, I get all that; what I want to know is: Are we going to heal him or feed him to the sharks?" said the dryad in exasperation, leaning lazily against his spear.

"Are you CRAZY?! Of course we're going to heal him! He's the Greeneyes, for coconut's sake! We can't just let him rot!" insisted the nymph, grabbing Handy under the arms and dragging him across the sand.

"Ok. So that's that. Want me to get the squirrel too?" said the dryad, following the nymph and trying to hide the amazement on his face as he stared at the Greeneyes.

"Yes, please do! It might be a weapon in disguise or some such. The gods know we could use as much help as we could get in fighting Capricorn," said the nymph, looking around herself as if she was expecting someone.

"All right then, princess; have it your way," sighed the dryad as he scooped NutBot into his arms and carried him across the beach, wondering if the hero would live up to everyone's expectations and what on Earth the squirrel might do to the island's coconut supply when he came around.


	2. Chapter 2: Awakening on Capricorn's Isle

Chapter Two: Awakening on Capricorn's Isle

"Handy?! Handy, where are you, buddy? It's time to be fixing those windows, you know…Clumsy just broke two more, and they're not going to fix themselves!" Hefty called as he walked along the riverbank, searching for his friend.

He was getting very anxious now that Handy had been gone for two hours. He knew that Handy had wanted to have a few minutes to himself, but he had been gone for much longer than the fifteen minutes he was supposed to have been spending alone. Hefty had vigilantly searched the area along the banks where Handy had promised he would be, but try as he might, he couldn't find any sign of his inventive friend.

Just as Hefty was beginning to think that Handy had gone back to the village before his fifteen minutes were up, he saw something in the river that made his stomach lurch and his eyes sting.

A bolt was floating on the river, shining in the sun as though it were trying to tease Hefty. "A bolt…this must've fallen out of his pocket; I wonder if he slipped on a rock or something…" Hefty whispered in dismay as he picked up the bolt and stared at it as if it were a precious gem.

He kept staring for a few minutes in disbelief, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill down his face. After a few moments, however, he managed to pull himself back together again and march determinedly towards the village.

"Forget weeping, Hefty; you've gotta go tell Papa before something worse happens….who knows where Handy's wound up now," he muttered to himself as he dashed through the village with a feeling of dread building in his gut and spreading down his arms, causing goose bumps to spread out all over his biceps.

Hefty was running so fast that he wasn't looking where he was going, and suddenly he smacked hard into something thick and furry. "HEFTY! Watch where you're going; those triceps of yours could seriously injure someone!" shouted Papa Smurf angrily as he sat up on the ground and rubbed his beard. "S-sorry, Papa Smurf; I didn't know it was you there, but I was looking for you anyway because I haven't s-seen Handy for t-two hours and the only t-thing I found of him w-was THIS…" stammered Hefty, thrusting the sopping bolt under Papa Smurf's nose.

As soon as Papa got a good look at the bolt in Hefty's hand, he turned whiter than his mustache and got shakily to his feet, shouting for everyone to gather around him for a village meeting. "So….what do you make of it, Papa? Is Handy….dead?" whispered Hefty as Papa told everyone what had happened, and looks of horror spread over everyone's faces as they listened and stared at the bolt like it was a bomb in disguise.

"No, Hefty; Handy's not dead….at least, I don't think so. But we need to sail down that river as soon as we can and rescue him before he drowns. EVERYONE, TO DREAMY'S SHIP! WE'RE OFF TO RESCUE HANDY!" barked Papa, and everyone eagerly scurried towards the S.S. Smurf II, excited at the prospect of the adventure ahead and anxious for Handy's life. Before long, Dreamy had pulled up the anchor, and the ship was sailing swiftly down the river as if a monster was snapping at her tail.

After a while, the ship had begun to reach the end of the river, and everyone gasped in horror as the horrifying pointy rocks and the waterfall came into view. "Oh no! He'd never have survived if he'd fallen off of THAT! Maybe he IS dead after all," gasped Hefty in dismay, turning white with shock and slumping against the mast of the S.S. Smurf II for support.

"Lighten up, Hefty; he may still be ok after all…you never know, maybe NutBot rescued him and he's somewhere in the middle of the ocean, just waiting for you to bring him back…" Smurfette said, patting Hefty on the shoulder and trying to reassure him.

"Fat chance; those rocks could knock the Smurf out of ANYONE. Me, I hate rocks who kill people!" muttered Grouchy, kicking the deck of the ship and scowling out at the jutting stones. "You know, I was born with these muscles for a reason. Care to get a taste of them, Mr. Grumpy-pants?!" snarled Hefty, threateningly shaking his fist in Grouchy's face.

"Hefty, Hefty; please try to use your head and not your muscles here. Like I said, Handy may be just fine, or he may need some help. In any case, we all have to get along if this rescue operation is going to work out. So don't use your muscles unless you really have to, OK?" Papa Smurf scolded, giving Hefty a solemn look in the eyes that made him stop dead in his tracks.

"Ok, I guess; if you say so," Hefty sighed resignedly. "But only on one condition." "And what is that?" "If I get to slap a few monsters if they've kidnapped Handy." "Deal," sighed Papa Smurf, looking out at the horizon to see if there would be any storms coming that could threaten to tip the ship.

But before he could get a good view, Dreamy screamed and tried to spin the steering wheel to turn the ship away from the falls, which were coming a bit too close for comfort. "WE'RE GOING TO FALL! AAAAAAAAHHH! EVERYONE CLOSE YOUR EYES AND HOPE FOR THE BEEESSSTTT!" Dreamy yelled as the ship fell over the waterfall and smashed brutally into the pond below.

….

Warm sunlight tickled Handy's face as he lay in the bed with his eyes closed. He moaned in pain and shuddered as his head began to ache terribly and his sore muscles were unpleasantly revealed to him.

He hurt so badly that he wanted to go back to sleep, but a gentle breeze brushed against his face like a hand stroking his cheek, as if trying to encourage him to open his eyes. He felt familiar warm metal nuzzle his hand, and he reached out and petted NutBot's tiny head. Very slowly, he blinked and started as he began to take in the unfamiliar sights around him.

He was lying in a small cot in a hut that looked as though it was made of bamboo. An open window provided the breeze, and outside was a beautiful golden sandy beach where crystal waves splashed in the sun. A mirror made of a shiny black stone glistened to his left, and in it he could see his scratched face and shadowy eyes.

There was a small table by the bed where a coconut with a straw in it sat, as if patiently waiting for someone to eat it. In the next room, there was a couch made of straw and several portraits of what looked like dryads over several generations. In fact, the beach looked just like the one in his dream, and he remembered seeing a few huts that looked a little bit like the one he was in right now.

"Oh, good; you're finally awake. Are you feeling all right?" asked a feminine voice somewhere to the right of him, and Handy jumped a good five feet in the air before he turned around to see who was speaking. A pretty nymph with long legs and green-gray skin sat idly on a table in front of him, staring at him with lovely purplish eyes that shone with worry. "I…I guess I'm okay. But…what is this place? How'd you find me? And who are y-you?" Handy stuttered, sitting up and putting an arm around NutBot protectively.

He heard his pet snickering under his breath, but he quickly quieted down when Handy gave him a funny look. "You're on Capricorn's Isle. We found you lying on the beach with your eyes closed and this squirrel next to you. After Aries figured out that you were a Greeneyes, we took you back to this hut and cured your wounds. You were asleep for a day and a half, and Aries thought you'd dropped dead in your sleep until you woke up today. By the way, how'd you get so banged up? You look like you got run over by an avalanche of coconuts," explained the nymph chattily, leaning against the wall and staring at Handy with curious eyes.

Handy squinched his eyes and rubbed his head as he stared back at the nymph and tried to think of a good answer. He was wondering what was with the coconut thing on this island, who Aries was, and why this nymph thought he had green eyes. Didn't she know that most Smurfs had blue eyes?

"Errrm….uhhh….I accidentally fell into a river and got washed off a waterfall, and I think I hit my head on a rock or something…I guess that explains the lump on my head. And who on Earth is Aries? A healer or something?" he finally said, figuring that the pretty nymph girl must have mistaken him for someone else. Besides, it was very, very easy to forgive someone as cute as her, and he definitely wasn't going to let an opportunity like this slip out of his fingers.

"Oh no; not at all! Aries is my friend," laughed the nymph, winking at Handy and making him blush. "But let's not worry about Aries for the time being; what we should be worrying about is YOU at the moment. Do you think you're well enough to get up?"

"I guess I'll try…" Handy trailed off hesitantly, swinging his legs out of bed and putting his feet on the floor. He tried to take a small step forward, but his legs buckled beneath him and the nymph had to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Oh no…I was afraid this would happen. Here, get back into bed and drink this; it'll make you strong," insisted the nymph as she helped Handy get back into bed and handed him the coconut. He gave her a strange look before noticing the straw in the coconut again and taking a hesitant sip. The coconut milk was as sweet as honey and unlike anything he had ever tasted. Before he knew it, he had drained the coconut and was left with a hollow, empty shell.

"Good; you like it. I guess you won't mind having to eat them every day too much," said the nymph as she smiled at Handy and leaned against the wall. "Eat them every DAY?! What's with this coconut thing? Is it a trend or something?" Handy burst out as he slowly cracked the coconut in half and started to nibble at the meat.

"No, but don't you think an angry coconut goddess would be a bad thing for the island, after all the misfortune we've had with the ghost of Capricorn?" asked the nymph, looking at Handy as if he were completely oblivious.

_ Capricorn. _It was the second time he had heard that name, and he was getting that bad feeling in his stomach again at just the very mention of it. His stomach twisted into a hard knot, and his appetite halted completely. "Capricorn…who is he, exactly? I had a funny dream about him when I was knocked out," Handy asked as NutBot snatched the coconut from his hand and started chomping away at it, shell and all.

The nymph looked at him for a long time, then nodded her head and began to explain. "Capricorn was a strong dryad who discovered this island more than four centuries ago. When he was exploring the island, he discovered a mine that was loaded with gems and coal. He got so excited that he told the other nymphs and dryads about the island, and pretty soon there were many villages on the island.

One day, when Capricorn was hiking in the mine and trying to determine how deep it went, a strange noise startled him and an avalanche started falling right on top of his head. He panicked and slipped on a stone, and he fell into a scorching hot spring and boiled to death. Ever since then, his ghost has been haunting the island and he's been taking out his rage on the villagers.

For some reason, he thinks it's our fault that he died, and slowly he stopped production in the mine and the fruit farms. Before long, the villages decreased from twenty-five to ten, and ten to three, and three to one. That's why there aren't many dryads on the island-we're the only ones left."

"Th…that's horrible," Handy stammered as a cold chill slowly crept down his spine. "I know…it's been so hard for us. We're barely able to survive on this island even today," sighed the nymph, staring at the floor with a melancholy look on her face. "We were giving up all hope when Aries and I found you on the beach-it was a miracle. And just like the old legend said, a hero with green eyes washed up on this island with a golem at his side."

"NutBot's not a golem; he's a robot! And I'm not a hero and anyway, my eyes are blue!" Handy protested, starting to feel a little irritated. The nymph only laughed and replied, "Of course you think so; that's what it says in the prophecy, anyway. Besides, even if you're not really the Greeneyes, can you help us anyway? We don't really have anything else to turn to…"

Those words, combined with the pleading eyes of the nymph, stopped Handy immediately. He couldn't bear to see a nymph as cute as this one look so upset. Besides, what harm could there be in helping her? If he messed up, things would be the same as before. "I guess I can try to help you. Could you show me the mine that Capricorn is in? Maybe it's only some sort of trapped animal that's making all this trouble, and if that's the case, then I can get it out right away."

"Oh, thank you! You're my hero! Of course we can take you to the mine; just give me a minute to get ready and I'll meet you outside!" chirped the nymph, giving Handy a quick hug and dashing off. "That's some nymph…" sighed Handy dreamily. He stared obliviously into space and hardly noticed NutBot's loud snickers as he daydreamed about the nymph's lovely purplish eyes.

…

Hefty took a slow breath as he recovered his senses. He blinked a few times to clear his blurry vision and found himself resting up against a sharp rock with blood trickling down his cheek. He was still in shock from the brutal fall from the waterfall that had nearly killed everyone onboard the S.S. Smurf II.

He could vaguely remember flailing in the water as he tried to prevent himself from hitting his head on a rock, but the cruel current had caught him up, and he'd hit something hard before blacking out. He wasn't sure how long he'd been unconscious or where he was now, but the only thing that mattered was finding the others and making sure they were safe.

After a few painful moments, he managed to sit up and make sense of his current surroundings. He was surrounded by gray, cold water, and the wreck of the S.S. Smurf II loomed nearby like the ghost of some monstrous beast. He wasn't sure where everyone had landed, but he thought he could make out a small bluish shape lying in the water a few feet below the rock he was perched on.

Hefty held his breath and dove under the water. He squinted in the gloom and saw that the silent body he'd seen from the rock was Papa Smurf. Grunting, he grabbed the old Smurf's arms and dragged him up to the surface, placing him on his back on the rock.

He heaved himself out of the ocean and leaned over Papa in concern, trying to determine if he was still alive. Papa Smurf was very pale, and he wasn't making any movement whatsoever. His eyes were closed, but Hefty thought he could hear a small moan coming from the old leader.

He put his ear to Papa's chest, and to his immense relief, he could hear a faint heartbeat. "Thank Smurf he's alive. Well, one down, a few more to go. I wonder where Smurfette is?" he mused to himself as he stuck his head under the water to search for the others.

He quickly found the unconscious Smurfette lying on the sea floor and hauled her up onto the rock. After about an hour, he had rescued just about everybody on the expedition, except for Dreamy and Clumsy, whom he couldn't seem to find anywhere. "Oh, well…maybe they washed up on an island or some such. I guess I'd better go find a shelter; nobody's going to live for very long if we stay on this cold rock," Hefty said as he began to search for a nearby island.

Soon, he came upon the shore of a golden sandy beach that seemed to be deserted. Carefully, he swam up on the shore, looking around to get his bearings. The night was eerily quiet, save for the chattering of animals coming from the steamy jungle before him. Cautiously, he tiptoed towards the forest, imagining he heard voices drifting among the trees.

He had barely taken two steps before he heard a loud shout and a rope being pulled. Terrified, he tried to back away, but his foot cut through a trip wire. A second later, something hard conked him on the head, and Hefty was out like a light.

…

"I really don't see any ghost at all…..maybe you're just imagining it," Handy said as he held a torch at the entrance of the dark, gloomy mine. "No, he's here. He's just not coming out for some reason. He only really shows himself if you do something to upset him," insisted the nymph. Handy sighed and rolled his eyes for the thousandth time. He really couldn't find any evidence that there was something in the mine that was responsible for the islanders' belief in a ghost. He was beginning to think that the nymph had made the whole thing up.

Handy was just about to dismiss the legend and call it a day when suddenly, the air became so cold that goosebumps ran up his arms. He began to shiver uncontrollably, and he nearly dropped his torch in a fright. NutBot seemed to sense something as well, because he hissed and backed up in front of the nymph and his master protectively.

A few moments later, a white shape with clanking chains appeared before them. "Who are you who disturbs my sleep and brings a horrible racket into my mine?" boomed Capricorn. His blazing red eyes seemed to be staring straight at Handy, and a terrifying mist was beginning to rise up all around them. "I-I-I'm only h-helping this g-girl h-here…w-what's your p-problem with t-t-that?" he stammered in reply.

The ghost's eyes narrowed, and Handy suddenly began to feel a little lightheaded. "How DARE you speak of me that way, you impertinent youngblood! If you speak of me again…well, let's see what happens then, eh?" snarled the ghost, drifting towards Handy and poking him with a taloned finger.

Handy gasped in shock as the hand went right through his arm and he began to feel a sharp chill. He was paralyzed with fear, and a cold sweat had broken out on his brow. He could barely breathe, but he still managed to get up the courage to lift his torch into the raging spirit's face. At the touch of the fire, the ghost shrieked and banged his fist against the ground, which seemed to slide sideways.

Handy struggled to keep his footing, but he slipped and began falling towards what seemed to be the ceiling. He heard the nymph scream and saw NutBot leap ferociously at the ghost, shrieking angrily. He thought he heard a sickening smack as his head hit what felt like a rock, but his vision went blurry and he couldn't see a thing.

A wet splash of a familiar-tasting liquid brought Handy back to his senses as he lay flat on his back on the beach. He squinted and blinked away the liquid to see NutBot, the nymph girl, and a couple other dryads staring down at him. "Are you all right? You came so close to having Capricorn's fate for your own-if it wasn't for the squirrel, you'd be dead by now," asked the nymph anxiously.

Handy groaned and tried to get up, but the best he could manage was to prop himself up with his elbows. "W-what happened? I thought the ground was sliding under me…..was I dreaming or something?" Handy asked groggily. He was still in a daze and trying to comprehend the horrific events that had just befallen him.

The nymph shook her head. "No. Capricorn has a strange ability to make it seem like the ground is falling out from under your feet. He literally flipped you upside down with a bang of his fist, and you started falling towards the passage where the hot spring was.

You hit your head and fainted, and if NutBot hadn't distracted Capricorn, I wouldn't have been able to catch you. You were so quiet when I carried you out of the mine that everyone thought you were dead. Luckily, NutBot found a coconut, and I was able to use the milk to revive you. Pretty incredible, eh? Coconuts have so many uses; you just wouldn't believe it…"

"I'm sure I wouldn't," Handy moaned as a dryad helped him to his feet. NutBot blinked up at him in concern as he groggily tried to stand on his own. "Master, are you all right?" NutBot squeaked as Handy leaned against a palm tree for support. "I think so…thanks for the support," Handy replied, managing a wan smile as he finally regained his balance and started to walk towards the nymph's hut. NutBot just ducked and backed away, as though embarrassed by his actions.

As Handy lay back on the cot and tried to think of a solution to the villagers' problems, he remained completely oblivious to the perils that his best friend was facing in the jungle at just that moment.

…

"I think he's waking up now." "Me too. I was so afraid we'd killed him….it would be such a shame to lose a guy as cute as he is, don't you think?"

Hefty stirred as feminine voices drifted into his ears. He had a horrible headache, and his limbs felt rather cramped, as though he had been sitting still for hours. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself looking into two blurry faces. He blinked a few times, and suddenly realized that the faces belonged to two nymph girls who were staring at him rather intently.

"Oh my coconuts! Look at his eyes; have you ever seen eyes as blue as that?" squealed one of them as she gazed ecstatically at Hefty's face. "Forget his eyes, Calypso; look at those adorable muscles! He looks so strong-talk about a jock!" sighed the other nymph, dreamily half-closing her eyes as she gazed at Hefty's biceps.

_ Oh, for Smurf's sake….I have ADMIRERS?! _Hefty thought in dismay. He blearily struggled in the hopes of loosening the ropes that bound him to the chair he was sitting on. "Aw, c'mon; don't do that! Just stay with us a little longer and tell us about yourself," pleaded Calypso, as though trying to dissuade a puppy from piddling on the carpet.

"AHEM! I'm not an ANIMAL….if you can give me a good excuse for why you captured me, then maybe I'll stop struggling and we'll see if we can work something out," Hefty grunted. He was not pleased at being treated in such a derogatory manner, and he was desperate to escape and start looking for his friends, particularly Handy.

"Do we really have to tell him why we kidnapped him, Lila? It should be pretty obvious-you'd think he'd have caught on by now," sighed Calypso, rolling her eyes as if she couldn't believe that anyone could be so stupid. Lila, however, was unable to reply, as she had fainted dead away as soon as she had heard Hefty speak.

_ Good Smurf, you'd think these nymphs had never seen a guy before, _Hefty thought. He sighed irritably, then settled back in the chair and raised an eyebrow at Calypso. Calypso stared at him for a few moments, and then began to speak.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetie, but I'm afraid you're not going to be able to get up so soon. You see, you're the cutest guy we've found in years. We were banished from the main village for eating too many coconuts, but we were really upset because neither of us had a boyfriend yet…"

Calypso was interrupted before she could finish her sentence. Lila had woken up, but she apparently hadn't recovered from the shock of hearing Hefty's voice for the first time. "Oh, by Coco's lei! His voice is almost as hot as his biceps!" she squealed in delight. She clasped her hands in rapture, then tiptoed up to Hefty and poked him in the shoulder.

Hefty nudged Lila with his shoulder and sent her flying into a chair. "OWWW! Caly, he shoved me!" Lila complained loudly. Calypso helped her to her feet; glaring angrily at Hefty. "Honey, leave my sister alone! She can't help that she likes to touch biceps!" Calypso scolded.

Hefty just sighed and rolled his eyes. He had to admit that these were the most annoying girls he had ever met in his whole life. Besides, this conversation wasn't getting anywhere. He couldn't afford to waste any more time. He had to look for his friends and find Handy, if he was even on this island.

"Look, I'm sorry I have to cut my time short with you, but I have more pressing matters on my hands here than idle chitchat with you two ladies," Hefty said abruptly. "My friends have been shipwrecked near this island, and my best friend has gone missing recently. Have you seen a Smurf wearing blue overalls, a visored hat, and a pencil above his ear?"

"No…I don't think we have. But he sounds cute. What's his name?" Lila replied with eagerness shining in her lavender eyes. "Are good-looking guys all you ever think about?! Get to the point!" Hefty snapped. He was fed up with the nymphs' flirty behavior. He had more important things to be doing than sitting around and talking with stupid girls. Hoping that the nymphs wouldn't notice, he began to struggle against the ropes again.

"No, Lil! That's not right. I think I _have _seen him before," Calypso corrected. "A couple of days ago, I was collecting some mangos for food when I noticed Gemini walking to the old mine with a guy who looked sort of like you, except he wasn't as hunky and he was wearing blue denim overalls.

I didn't really pay much attention, but I noticed that he had really attractive green eyes, so I put my basket down and climbed into a tree to get a better look. Anyway, he was talking to Gemini about Capricorn, but I got sort of bored after that. So I climbed down and went back home…"

"But why didn't you TELL me about him? I love green eyes in a guy! We could've gone on a date or something," pouted Lila. "Well…it's been a long time since we were in the old village, so I didn't think it was a good idea to introduce you to him. Besides, Gemini was always a snobby scaredy-cat and whenever I mention a nice guy, we get into fights. We've been getting along so well lately…"

"No fair!" Lila cried. She lunged at her sister with a tiger's ferocity. However, Hefty didn't hear any more of their conversation after that. "Sorry to chat and run, girls, but…." Hefty announced. He ripped through his ropes and leapt to his feet as fast as he could. Then he darted out of the hut and ran for dear life as the nymphs panted after him.

"NOOO! COME BACK HERE! YOU HAVEN'T EVEN TOLD US IF YOU'RE SINGLE YET!" whined the nymphs. They shook their fists and howled like howler monkeys, but nothing they did could convince Hefty to turn around. _Man, it's a good thing I work out so much; otherwise they'd catch me for sure. They're pretty fast for such skinny nymphs! _Hefty thought. He put on a burst of speed and dashed around a huge palm tree filled with coconuts.

Lucky for him, the nymphs tripped over the palm tree; giving him a chance to gain distance on them. Unfortunately, he was so focused on the nymphs that he didn't look where he was going. He smacked into a palm tree at full speed and collapsed in a dazed heap. Stars filled his vision, making it seem as if it were night. "Pretty…" Hefty babbled mindlessly while he lay on the ground and tried to recover his senses.

Finally, the stars went away, and he was able to get to his feet. His head was spinning and it had a lump on it, but he was otherwise unharmed. However, he was drenched in sweat like a racehorse. He was pretty beat from running away from the nymphs. If they came around again, he probably wouldn't be able to escape.

Hefty looked up at the sky to check the time. With a start, he realized that dusk was swiftly approaching. "I guess I'd better rest a little…it'll be night soon. Anyway, if I don't get a little sleep, I'll be cranky in the morning and those poor nymphs are really going to hear it from me," he muttered to himself as he searched for a suitable sleeping place.

He found a soft area of sand under a coconut tree that seemed to be a good bed. The palm tree was bent over, and the leaves provided some shelter from the sun and wind. If he piled up some fallen leaves, he would be able to sleep pretty comfortably.

Hefty gathered a few bundles of palm leaves in his arms and piled them up. Satisfied, he settled down and closed his eyes. _I hope Handy and the others are okay. I guess I can search for them tomorrow, _Hefty thought. He didn't have time to think about anything else, though, because he fell into a deep sleep after that.


End file.
